Most Influential Cars: The '60s

The Corvair was designed to compete with the popular and economical VW Bug, hence the rear-mounted, air-cooled, horizontally opposed engine, and it had a good first few years. But in 1965 the Corvair was trashed in Ralph Nader's book "Unsafe at Any Speed." While the innovative Chevy is often seen as a black eye for General Motors because of this, it sold an impressive 1.8 million units in its 10-year production run and led to safety advancements such as collapsible steering columns, recessed dashboards and safety glass.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The E-Type has been called more art than auto — an untrue statement if there ever was one. Its long, flowing body lines are masterful; it's enshrined as part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent design collection in New York. However, the E-Type also offered superior performance. Jaguar took the S-spec 3.8-liter inline 6-cylinder engine from the XK 150 and moved the big mill rearward on the car's chassis to better distribute the weight. The new car was shorter and lighter than its predecessor, and added a vital component that even Le Mans winners lacked: an independent rear suspension.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The 1963 Cooper S proved that the too-cute-to-be-fast Mini could be more than just a pedestrian people-mover. When properly equipped, it could be a fast and furious performance machine. The 1963 Cooper S sported a large, 1,071cc powerplant with beefed-up internals, a fortified drivetrain and power disc brakes. It shocked the world by winning the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

Carroll Shelby had an uncanny talent for making fast cars for both the street and the highest levels of motorsport competition. The Cobra was his first big splash. Britain's AC Cars provided the chassis; Shelby then dropped a 260-cubic-inch Ford HiPo V8 engine under the hood. It was designed to compete with the best Europe had to offer, namely Ferrari, and was more than up to the task, including a GT-class win in the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The Pontiac GTO was born a rule breaker. At the time, General Motors had a 330-cubic-inch size limit for engines in its A-Body offerings. But the performance-minded Pontiac division circumvented the rule by making a GTO "option package" for its Tempest Le Mans, which included a 389-cubic-inch 325-horsepower V8. The all-encompassing package also included an upgraded suspension and clutch along with numerous body and interior enhancements. The GTO was a huge success, selling more than double its expected sales in 1964 and opening the floodgates for all muscle cars to come.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The Porsche 911 is one of the most enduring and iconic silhouettes on the road today. It replaced the 356 in Porsche's lineup. A big improvement over the 356, the 911 was equipped with a 130-horsepower 1,991cc flat-6 engine, a significant upgrade from the 356's 90-horsepower 1,600cc 4-cylinder. Since then, the German automaker has evolved the 911 for almost 50 years. It accomplishments on the road and track are legendary.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

While the GTO broke the ice as the first muscle car, the Mustang melted it completely. At the time, there was nothing in this country like the stylish, affordable, performance-oriented 2-door coupe. The top-of-the-line engine was the HiPo Windsor 289, which generated 271 horsepower. And talk about an instant success; Ford struggled to handle the 22,000 orders it got on the first day the car was available. In less than two years, it sold more than 1.5 million units.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, unofficially known as the Daytona, is possibly the most recognizable of all Ferraris. It offers everything that makes road-going Ferraris among the most coveted rides: sleek Pininfarina-penned lines, a thunderous 4.4-liter 352-horsepower V12 engine and a healthy helping of Italian style and panache. Ferrari built 1,284 Daytona coupes and 122 special-order Daytona Spyder convertibles between 1968 and 1973. Today, coupes go for $300,000 to $500,000 and true Spyders fetch upward of $1 million.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The Road Runner put Mopar on the muscle-car map. It was based on the Belvedere and sported an exclusive 383-cubic-inch V8 engine that produced 335 horsepower. For a touch over $700, the legendary 426-cubic-inch 425-horsepower Hemi V8 could be dropped under the hood. Today, these Hemi-powered examples are the stuff of barn-find dreams. Chrysler expected to sell only 2,000 units, but the Road Runner sold a whopping 45,000 in 1968.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

The Camaro debuted in 1966 as a 1967 model. But it wasn't until 1969 that the car really hit its stride. Unlike many of its peers, the Camaro emphasized both handling and power equally. It showed what Chevy stylists could do to express performance and excitement. In addition, the 1969 body style lasted only a year, which, when combined with a unique mix of brake, engine, exhaust and induction options, makes the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro one of the most sought-after rides of the classic muscle-car era.

Most Influential Cars: The '70s
Most Influential Cars: The '80s

Evan Griffey served as an editor of Turbo & High Tech Performance, a pioneering publication about sport-compacttuning. Today Griffey freelances for Import Tuner, Sport Compact Car, Car Audio and Siphon.

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